November, 2016

Greetings from Chiapas, Mexico, where I have just spent a full month completing five new mission churches. Thanks to the five groups of Americans who came and helped. Why did we do it? Because we could! We saw the need, and we responded to it. Building houses of worship is a great priority of our ministry, but it is not the only one. Like our Lord Jesus Christ, we are touched by the feelings of others’ infirmities. (Hebrews 4:15) Jesus loved Jerusalem and her people, even though they killed the prophets and stoned those sent. (Luke 13:34) He loved them and wanted to give them a better life. In the last few days of His life, the Scriptures say “When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it. (Luke 9:41) Our Lord had so much compassion for hurting and needy people. Even for the children. When they brought the children for Jesus to lay hands on them, the disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said, let the children come. He took the time to bless the children. Leaving Jericho with a very large crowd, Jesus heard the words, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.” Many told the man to be quiet. Jesus stopped and called him to himself. He healed the blind eyes of Bartimaeus. In Mark 5, there is the story of a woman who had lost all hope, having spent all that she had on physicians. Hearing about Jesus, she said, “If I just touch his garments, I will get well.” She touched His garment, and immediately, she was made whole. Jesus always had the time to help hurting people.

A few years ago, an old man gave us a small piece of his property to build a mission church. The nearest church to him had been some five miles away, which he walked every week. The church was completed and we gathered around and laid hands on the building, dedicating it to our Lord. The old man laid his hands on the front wall and then cried like a small child. I looked around and every American man was also weeping, perhaps with the same compassion that Jesus had for Jerusalem.

My petition to the Lord is to let me be touched by the needs of hurting people and respond with the same compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ. I received a call from a Mexican pastor asking, “Can you help me bury my mother?” I responded and met his need. A pastor called and was in need of knee surgery. Again, I responded and met his need. So many have done so much more than I. In Luke 10, a man fell among robbers who beat himand and left him half dead. Two religious men passed by but offered no help. A third man, a Samaritan, saw him and felt compassion and went to him. He bandaged his wounds, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day, he gave money to the innkeeper and asked that he take care of him, saying “whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.” (Luke 10) My type of man.

Some say, “Enough is enough. When will you stop?” Perhaps, like Stephen as he was being stoned and gazed intently into heaven, I see the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father. Perhaps when I hear him say, "Welcome home thou good and faithful servant. I have a feeling there is still much more we will do together. Thank you for helping in all that you do. God bless you and meet your every need.